The Ministry of Education (MoE), has announced plans to devolve selected high‑performing C1 schools (previously national schools), to county governments in a bid to ease placement pressure and expand equitable access to quality secondary education.
Speaking during a breakfast show in one of the local radio station, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said the move will bring well‑resourced institutions closer to learners, reduce congestion in oversubscribed schools, and strengthen local capacity to serve growing student populations.
“We recognise the placement challenges facing students, especially in high‑demand schools. The government will now equip and devolve top‑performing schools to counties, enabling them to serve local communities effectively,” CS Ogamba said.
Under the plan, county governments will assume administrative responsibilities for the devolved schools while national standards are maintained across facilities, laboratories, and learning resources. Additional teaching staff and technology tools will be deployed to accommodate rising enrolment, with monitoring systems put in place to track quality and ensure consistency under county management.
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Ogamba confirmed that the Grade 9 to Grade 10 transition currently stands at 75 per cent. He said the ministry is intensifying nationwide mop‑up programmes to support students who missed the standard promotion period, emphasising that “no learner will be left behind” as the government pushes toward full transition.
The mop‑up effort targets regions facing poverty, poor accessibility, and inadequate school infrastructure, identifying learners who have stalled and facilitating their progression without disruption.
Ogamba added that both the devolution programme and the mop‑up operations are part of the government strategy to expand access to quality education, reduce dropouts, and improve national academic outcomes.
“Our goal is to make high‑quality education accessible to every child, regardless of where they live,” Ogamba said. The ministry will issue weekly progress reports on the Grade 10 transition and the devolution rollout, beginning with counties experiencing the highest placement demand.
By Masaki Enock
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